What is the Day of the Dead?

Response

The Day of the Dead or el Día de los Muertos is a Mexican holiday celebrated from October 31 to November 2. It is associated with two Catholic holidays, All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, and coincides with the end of the harvest season. During the Day of the Dead, participants come together to pray for and pay tribute to deceased friends and family members.

Festivities on the Day of the Dead include parades, costumes, the sharing of “sugar skulls” and pan de muerto, also known as the “bread of death,” placing food and flowers on home altars or graves of the departed, and illuminating the path from the grave to one’s home with candles. The origins of this holiday can be traced back thousands of years to an Aztec festival dedicated to a goddess named Mictecacihuatl, although the observance of the Day of the Dead has been significantly influenced by Catholicism.

The concept behind the Day of the Dead is that deceased loved ones partake in the rituals. It is traditionally believed that the barrier between the spirit realm and the world of the living weakens from October 31 to November 2, enabling individuals to communicate with their departed relatives. The rituals associated with preparing for the Day of the Dead are considered significant due to the belief that “the deceased have the power to bring prosperity (such as a bountiful maize harvest) or misfortune (like illness, accidents, financial hardships) to their families based on how effectively the rituals are carried out” (https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/indigenous-festivity-dedicated-to-the-dead-00054, accessed 5/31/22).

There is nothing inappropriate about honoring the memory of deceased loved ones. However, the observances of the Day of the Dead extend beyond mere tribute and encourage interaction with the deceased. J.Jesus indicated that those who have passed away do not have the ability to communicate with the living—they are not free to return to earth (see Luke 16:19-31). Elsewhere, God’s Word warns people of the futility of attempting to contact the deceased: “Should not a people inquire of their God? Why seek guidance from the deceased on behalf of the living?” «And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? », (Isaiah 8:19). Even if the spirits of the deceased could return, they would not have the power to bestow blessings or curses; the ability to bless and curse belongs to God alone (Psalm 37:22;Proverbs 3:33).

The world is filled with traditions and practices that go against God’s desires as revealed in His Word. The Day of the Dead is not founded on biblical truth but on a blend of Roman Catholic customs and indigenous traditions. The outcome is a celebration that heavily relies on superstition and meaningless rituals. How much more beneficial it would be to focus on Jesus, “the Lord of both the deceased and the living” «For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. », (Romans 14:9)? How much more advantageous to prepare to meet Him one day, understanding that He “will judge the living and the deceased” «I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; », (2 Timothy 4:1)?